


The Negotiator and the Fire Fang

by classic_cut_kyber



Series: Obi-Wan and the Gray Jedi Order [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: Rise of Empire Era - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-07-09 19:14:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19892926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/classic_cut_kyber/pseuds/classic_cut_kyber
Summary: Obi-Wan Kenobi is about to face his biggest challenge yet. It is not a battle droid. It is not a Separatist General. It is not a Sith. It's a Gray.A Gray Jedi has deserted his order and is looking to replace Asajj Ventress as Count Dooku's newest assassin. In order to keep the balance, the Gray have sent a consult to help the Jedi, a strange woman code named Cordelia. Swift, cunning, and charming, Kenobi finds himself fascinated by this mysterious warrior.Only time will tell how this will affect the Clone Wars as a whole. Will this incident bring the Gray into the war? And on which side? As a small, but powerful order, they could either give the Republic the boost they have been looking for or be the Separatist's greatest weapon.





	1. The Assignment

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

\---

"I will see to it, my masters." the staticky hologram of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker said with a bow. He and his commander Captain Rex dissolved into thin air a moment later. Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi sat in the Council Chambers. He had his hand on his beard, thinking about their dilemma.

"This is risky. Should Anakin not be able to pull this off, it will put his entire fleet in jeopardy. That is not a loss we can afford right now." he said, watching as Jedi Masters Shaak Ti, Ki-Adi Mundi, and Aayla Secura all exited the chambers. Luminara Unduli and Kit Fisto, who attended via hologram, both disappeared. His friend and comrade, Master Mace Windu had stayed seated as well.

"I know, but it's a risk we must take. I have faith in Skywalker. We can not lose the Kineon System." Windu replied. "Keep it, we must, but for now, have a new issue, we do." Kenobi and Windu both turned their attention to their left. There, hidden in shadow, was the small, elderly Grandmaster of the Council. "And what would that be Master Yoda?" Kenobi asked. The ancient Jedi slid off of his chair and motioned for Windu and Kenobi to follow. The two shared a look before following Yoda out of the chamber and into the temple.

"A message, I have received, from the Elders of the Gray Jedi Order. Defected, one of their own has. Looking to become Dooku's new apprentice, he is." Yoda explained, his cane clicking on the ancient floor. Kenobi could sense Windu's mood darken in response. Yoda's, however, was unreadable.

"Well that is not good." Windu said. "The Gray Jedi have opted not to get involved in this war. They are formidable warriors. Depending on who deserted, this could put us at a major disadvantage." he finished. "The Gray Jedi haven't gotten involved in any battles for ages. As followers of the light and dark, this could prove a challenge." Kenobi added. "Agree with you, I do, as does Palatial Elder Inan. Sending one of their own, she is. Keep the balance, they must." the Grandmaster explained. Kenobi could only see the top of his wrinkled green head, his thin layer of white hair, and large ears. "Under the code name Cordelia, she will go by. Capture the deserter, she will help. Will assist her, one of you will." he finished, stopping to face the two. "I have unfinished business on Felucia. Obi-Wan will have to help the Gray." Windu said. "I can spare the men and the time." Kenobi replied. "Will help her, Obi-Wan will. At the Senate building, waiting, she is. With you, the Force will be." With that, Yoda turned down the nearest hallway. Its tiles, polished to a high shine, reflected light onto the walls. In the distance, Kenobi caught a glimpse of a large stone hand that sat in the library. It belonged to the statue of an ancient Grandmaster named Satele Shan. As Yoda moved out of sight, Windu and Kenobi kept straight.

"Obi-Wan, I would be careful if I were you. The Gray Jedi are infamous for being... unpredictable." Windu said, his voice serious. Most of the order believed Mace wasn't capable of laughing. His brooding demeanor and unwavering focus played a role in this. Despite that, Kenobi has heard a chuckle or two out of his comrade on occasion. He even heard a joke once. "I will keep an eye out. I will tell Cody to get a squadron of clones ready while I go greet this Cordelia." "I must return to Felucia. May the Force be with you, my friend." Windu said as he made a left. Obi-Wan weaved his way through the Temple to the speeder pad. He approached some red carpeted stairs. The fabric continued all the way down the entrance. There it was being guarded by two Clones with crimson painted armor. He passed a few younglings led by Master Tera Sinube. The eccentric elder gave Kenobi a grin. The presence of the general had instilled some whispering amongst the children. He also saw Madame Jocasta, the elderly keeper of the Jedi library. He gave her a respectful nod as he approached the pad. He motioned to the clone trooper on deck. The trooper saluted in response. He took the nearest speeder and made his way over to the Senate building.


	2. The Consult

"Cody?" Kenobi said into his wrist comm as the vehicle pulled away from the platform.

"Yes sir?" his commander answered back. "I need you to put together a squad. We're going after a Gray Jedi defector on his way to meet Count Dooku." Kenobi explained. He swerved around a speeder transporting a Weequay and two Twi'leks. "A Gray Jedi sir?" "Yes, I will brief you more on it later. The Gray Jedi have sent us some help for tracking him down, so I am picking up the contact now. I will let you know when I'm on my way." "I'll get on that right away General." Cody said before the comm went dead.

Ahead of Kenobi, the senate building rose high into the atmosphere. The early morning sunlight was gleaming off the tall dome. Below was the courtyard. Some senators and citizens were wandering about in the morning air. They stood besides the metal statues of famous senators and Republic generals. The only one he could remember was a man name Osani. Or was it Orasi? Onasi, that was it. He needed to read up on some Republic history next time he had some downtime. Kenobi passed the courtyard and did a big turn around the tower and landed on the speeder pad on the back side.

"Hello sir." said the clone guarding the pad as Kenobi brought the vehicle to a stop. He got out, cautious of how he moved. He was a little sore from his recent mission on Christophsis, in which he ended up getting pinned underneath a vulture droid... a droid that Anakin Skywalker had destroyed. No warning, no "get clear", no nothing, lightsaber ablaze, the way he liked it. Sometimes he wondered who would kill him first, a droid or Anakin.

"Hello trooper. I am looking for Cordelia of the Gray Jedi." he said. "She is in the west wing, in Senator Chuchi's quarters. Senators Amidala and Chuchi, along with Representative Binks, are with her now." the trooper said. "Oh great. Jar Jar was apart of the welcoming committee. Well I better get over there and rescue our guest. Thank you trooper." he replied. The clone gave the general a salute before turning his attention to Senator Orn Free Taa of Ryloth. The rather... large senator had pulled up a moment before and was having trouble getting out of his speeder. Kenobi entered the Senate building. It took him a second to remember which way to go. He made a right.

As soon as he entered the west wing, he could sense Cordelia. She felt strange. She didn't have the coldness of a Sith nor did she carry the warmth of the Jedi, but her presence was very strong. Her aura reminded him of a mountain range. There were peaks of cold and darkness, but also valleys of warmth and light, all at once. It immediately put Kenobi on edge.

He followed the source of the strange aura to an office halfway down the corridor. There he found the Gray Jedi with the two senators and the Gungan. She was not what he had expected.From the back, he could tell that Cordelia was a small woman, a good few inches shorter than himself. Her frame was very narrow and petite. She had long, skinny legs and arms. Had he not known who she was, he may have even described her as looking delicate. But if the stories of the Gray Jedi are to be believed, that was far from the truth.

"Hello Obi!" The Gungan said as Kenobi entered. All four put their eyes on him. "Hello Jar Jar, Senator Chuchi. Padme." He said. "Greetings Master Kenobi." Chuchi said with a dip of her chin."Thisa is misa's very good friend Obi-Wan Kenobi." The Gungan said, pride in his voice. Kenobi noticed that the Gray Jedi was studying him as intently as he was studying her. He approached her like an unknown beast, slow and careful-like. One wrong move could cause a spook or an attack.

The Gray Jedi was very curious. Covered by a piece of cloth that sat on her nose, the only visible part of her face was her light skin, eyebrows, and gray-green eyes. She was well muscled and was wearing a gray armor with a unique design. Two lightsabers hung on her waist. A small wisp of silvery-blonde hair was poking out on the side near her ear from under her hood. Dressed the way she was, she reminded him of a hologram of an ancient Echani warrior he had seen in the library. Perhaps she was one, somehow alive after thousands of years. She was mysterious enough. Obi-Wan hated to admit it, but he was very fascinated by this strange warrior."Cordelia, as Jar Jar said, this is Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi." Padme Amidala said, motioning to Obi-Wan. Padme's dark hair was up in an ornate bun on the back of her head and she was wearing a long green dress. He could see the pretty Pantoran senator Riyo Chuchi behind her. Chuchi was wearing a white and gold dress and a silver head piece in her light purple hair. Jar Jar was wearing his usual senate garb. The Gray was still surveying him as she took a few steps over to greet him.

"Hello Master Kenobi. I am Ashla Adept Cordelia." The Gray said. her voice sweet. She offered him her hand. Yet, curiosity lined her tone. Kenobi had a feeling she was as fascinated with him as he was with her. "It is nice to meet you Cordelia." He said, reaching out to grab her hand. It was small in his hand, but her grip was strong. There was something in her eyes, something Kenobi couldn't read. But he could tell that flash was something positive. He shook her hand before releasing it.

"Shall we be going? I have a few urgent matters that I would like to discuss with you." He said. "Yes, let's get going." She said. "It was nice to meet you Senators, Representative." She said with a wave of her hand. Jar Jar ecstatically waved goodbye as the two left the room, knocking over a drink onto the floor. He was profusely apologizing as Cordelia and Kenobi headed out into the hallway.

"So fill me on what has happened." Kenobi said. "Straight to the point, I like it." The Gray Jedi said. Kenobi had a feeling a smirk went along with it. She sighed. "As you well know, when Jedi and Sith conflicts emerge, that puts the Gray in a situation. We must choose whether or not we wish to get involved, and, if we decide yes, we must debate on which side we should enter." She explained. "And you said no to the Clone Wars." Kenobi said. "Yes, I'll be getting to that. However, as Gray, we exist in the center of the Force, but it is impossible for a being to exist solely in the gray area. Hence our name. Every Gray has a leaning, either a light or dark side leaning. So in war time, some wish to assist the Sith and some wish to assist the Jedi. It's how it's been for thousands of years since our founding. So when the Clone Wars broke out, it was very polarizing to my people. Some felt that the Republic was too stagnant and there needed to be a change in leadership. Other's felt that since the Republic has been successful for so long, that it should stand." She said. Her eyes flicked to Garaan Haruub, the Senator from Sullust. He was speaking with Mon Mothma of Chandrila in the senate chamber. "And your thoughts?" Kenobi asked. He was curious to find out what made this woman tick. It would prove useful later, once he figured out how her mind worked. Cordelia moved around a group of senators, bumping into Kenobi as she did. He grabbed her shoulder to steady her.

"Sorry." She said, moving away from him. He released his grip on her bicep. "Personally, I do agree that the Republic has become stagnant. When governments, people, anything really, have gone too long without challenge, they become weak and corrupt. Look at how much corruption has been unearthed since the beginning of this war. However, I do support the Republic and hope they defeat the Separatists. The Republic needed this war to grow, to evolve." Cordelia said. Her eyes fell on two Clone troopers. She stared at them as they walked past.

"Minus a few skirmishes here or there, it's been about a thousand or so years since the Republic had a full scale war. The last one was during the days of the Old Republic." She said. "You know your history." "I do. I'm kind of a historian of sorts. We Gray know many things that the Jedi and Sith do not. We do hold some of the most ancient texts in the galaxy after all." She said as they emerged onto the speeder pad.

"Going back to the current war, it divided my people so heavily that it caused a kind of civil war within our ranks. Some even resorted to violence. It got so bad that our Elders said we would not got involved, which in turn angered many. There are many things that fuel passion; Anger, fear, justice, but none more than apathy. Doing nothing to most is worse than supporting the opposing side.

"Our elders choice angered one in particular, a dark side leaner named Biron Sykes." Cordelia said as she followed Kenobi to his speeder. "He's the deserter?" Kenobi asked as he slid over to the driver's seat. "Yes. He is a very talented warrior, proficient in lightsaber combat and in the Force." She said. The Jedi Master attempted to get a sense of the Gray, to see what she was feeling or if she was hiding anything. Much to his displeasure, he had a hard time reading Cordelia due to her strange aura and impaired facial expressions.

"According to one of Biron's associates," She explained as he pulled away. There it was. Kenobi caught a slight hesitation between Biron's and associates. It was barely noticeable, but it was there. "he set up a meeting with Count Dooku on the Hutt controlled world of Nar Shaddaa, which is right next Nal Hutta. It is a smart place to meet the Count. So many people, so much life, it's going to make it difficult to track them down, especially through the Force." She said. The woman put her eyes on him. They were serious. "We need to capture Sykes before he and Dooku meet. Sykes has possession of some information that Dooku can not know." She said. "What kind of information?" He asked, sneaking a peak at the Gray before focusing his eyes in front of them. "He knows who I am, my real name. He knows where I come from, and that is something Dooku can not find out. If Dooku finds out, he will hunt me down and he will kill me. He will burn everyone and everything in his way as he does, which right now includes my order and you and your men." She said. Kenobi found this very... intriguing. What would the dear old Count want with a Gray Jedi?

"Please don't take this personally, but why are you so important to Dooku?" He asked. She rested her foot up against the dash. "Let's just say Dooku came looking for me a long time ago, but the Elders kept me from him. If he finds out they lied, we will be the next Nightsisters." She said. Kenobi let the subject drop. The Nightsisters, also known as the Witches of Dathomir, made an attempt on Dooku's life. They were now extinct. The Separatist Army had been able to overpower such a powerful species in one fell swoop. Should they do the same to the Gray Order, who were small, but pivotal in the eyes of the Force... He could tell Cordelia was thinking the same thing. He felt her mood darken drastically this time. Below them, Commander Cody and two other troopers were waiting for them as they pulled up onto the pad.

"Hello General." Cody said, his arms locked behind his back. Commander Cody was Kenobi's second in command. Chipped gold stripes and plenty of blast marks adorned his armor. Cody was a good man. He was quick-thinking, smart, and worked by the book. That was something you appreciated when one had fought alongside Anakin Skywalker as long as Obi-Wan had. He was also one of Kenobi's closest friends. They had been through a lot together during the war. Even to his own surprise, after the sudden death of his old friend and love, Satine Kryze, Cody was the one who helped in through it the most. Of course, Anakin and Ahsoka... Her name hurt to think about. Anakin and Ahsoka were there for him, as was Senator Amidala, but it was Cody that made everything easier, not by what he did, but what he didn't do. He understood. He had lost enough brothers on the battlefield to understand. Sometimes in grief, someone doesn't want a shoulder to cry on. They don't want empty sympathy or for every glance to be full of pity. They want to move on and Cody pushed him there. His commander pushed him to focus on the war, which was exactly what he needed. Work is good for grief.

"Hello Cody. This is Cordelia. She will be helping us track down Biron Sykes, a Gray Order deserter who has defected to the Separatists." Kenobi said. The two clones accompanying his second-in-command were Crackshot and Jack. "It is a pleasure." Cody said. Cordelia stared for a second before answering. "It is an honor, commander." She said with a slight bow.

"He's a clone. That is impressive." She whispered to Kenobi enthusiastically. He gave a chuckle. "Jack, Crackshot, take Cordelia to the hanger. We'll be right behind you." Cody barked. "Sir yes sir!" The two clones said in unison. " Before we go, here." Cordelia said as she handed a small device to Cody. "It's everything we have on Sykes's meeting." Jack and Crackshot turned around and headed off, with Cordelia trotting to catch up.

"Did, uhh, she say something about me sir?" Cody asked, never missing a beat as always. Kenobi laughed again. "Yes, but have no worries commander, it was a compliment. She seemed to be quite interested in the fact that you are a clone. Thought it impressive." Kenobi could practically see Cody's confused face through his helmet. "Well I've never heard it put that way before. So what's the plan sir?" The Ghost Company Commander said as they walked to the hanger together. "Well Sykes is meeting Count Dooku on Nar Shaddaa, which complicates things." Kenobi said. "Well first off sir, that is Hutt controlled space." The door slid into the wall as Kenobi pressed the button. "Indeed it is Cody. We're going to have to call in a favor with one of the Hutts to pass through. It will likely be Jabba, since we have the best relations with him. Now once we get to the surface, finding Sykes and the Count will be another issue entirely."

"So what's the deal with Cordelia, if you don't mind my asking sir. You said she was a Gray Jedi?" The commander asked. "Indeed. The Gray Jedi are peculiar. There have always been those who exist in the center of the Force, but it wasn't until the end of the Jedi Civil War thousands of years ago that the order was actually created." "So they aren't actual Jedi?' Cody asked as they passed the mess hall filled with clones. All wearing the same face with the same armor. On the surface exactly the same, but to a Jedi, they were as different as Tatooine and Kamino. Each one carried their own aura, their own feelings, their own individuality. All separate in the Force.

"Yes. They exist equally in the light and the dark." "I didn't even know Jedi existed like that." His commander mused. "They are a small order and keep to themselves. They only get involved in conflicts when they deem necessary." "Can we trust her? You said she uses the dark side and the light. I don't know too much about the Force sir, but that seems... complicated." "Oh it is. For a Jedi or a Sith, the Force is like the wind. It can be still and silent one moment, then powerful and overwhelming the next. For a Gray, it's like walking on a tightrope. If they lean too far one way or the other, they fall." They entered the hanger. There were Y-wings, and ARC 170s and other fighters. On the opposite side of the hanger was Anakin's new personal ship. It was in just as bad shape as his old ship, the Twilight. It amazed Kenobi that Skywalker had even been able to fly that thing. He flew it once. Never again. Even Anakin's ships try to kill him. Unsurprisingly, it blew up on Mandalore.

"That sounds difficult sir. I'm glad to be a simple clone." Cody said. "Trust me Cody, no clone is simple, especially you. You and your brothers never cease to amaze me." He said. "Thank you sir."

The General and Commander found Cordelia, Crackshot, and Jack next to a LAAT gunship. Kenobi heard them laughing as they approached.

"He didn't check first?" Cordelia asked. "Nope, Skywalker just jumped in, lightsaber slashing. It took us about twenty minutes to fish a very cranky General Kenobi out." Crackshot said. Cordelia giggled again. "I'd like to meet this Anakin Skywalker."

"Oh you would love him. He is quite the charmer." Kenobi said as he approached. All the clones immediately stood attention. Cordelia just gave Kenobi a look as she leaned against the side of the LAAT, one foot resting against the hull. She took off one of her lightsabers and flipped it in the air.

"You ready to get going General?" She said, motioning at him with the hilt of her saber. "The sooner we get started, the sooner we can get this mess over with." He replied. "Aww, you're tired of me already?" She joked. "How could I possibly get tired of a beauty like you?" He said with a smirk. Cordelia gave him a pat on the cheek as she followed Cody onto the LAAT. Kenobi and the Clones filed in shortly after.

"Before we do anything, we are going to have to set up a meeting with Jabba. We'll need Hutt permission before moving into their space. They are a useful ally and we can not afford to offend them right now." He said seriously as the door slid shut of their own accord. They pulled in with a hiss and the emergency lights flooded the cabin with red light.

"You are lucky. Jabba Desilijic Tiure is the cooperative Hutt. The others are not so flexible." Cordelia replied as the engine roared to life. "Well Jabba is quite fond of us. We rescued his son Rotta from the Separatists early in the war." Kenobi said. The LAAT made a humming sound as it rose off the ground. It slowly maneuvered out of the hanger. "Just like the Separatists start off with dirty tricks. It reeks of Sith handiwork." The woman said. On the surface, she was calm, but underneath flowed with nervous energy. It took him a long while, but Kenobi was finally able to get a small sense of her. Her energy moved like no Sith or Jedi he had ever met. He had an easier time reading Count Dooku than her.

"Hey Cordelia." Sergeant Cord said as light flooded through the slats of the doors. She looked his way. "Me and the boys were wondering, if you guys aren't actual Jedi, why are you called the Gray Jedi?" He asked. A bit of turbulence caused everyone to lose their footing. The Clone's armor all clacked together. Cordelia bumped into Cody, who caught her with a gentle hand on her shoulder blade. She stood up straight.

"We call ourselves the Gray Jedi, because during the time of our founding, the Sith was the name of an order, not a warrior. Like you serve the Republic, but no one calls you Republicans or Republics. You are Clone Troopers. In the ancient times, there were Jedi who followed the light, Gray Jedi who walked the center, and Dark Jedi who followed the Dark Side. But as time went on, they dropped the term Dark Jedi and people simply called them Sith." Cordelia said. "I know it's confusing. You don't know how many times I've had people mistake me for a light Jedi. But we've been the Gray Jedi since our inception and that's the way it will likely stay until our demise." She said. The air got cool as they ascended higher.

"Sir, it's General Koon." A Clone said as he squeezed to the front. He handed the general a hologram of a miniature version of Jedi Master Plo Koon.

"Greetings Master Kenobi." The Kel Dor General said. "Greetings Master Plo. What can I help you with?" Kenobi said. "I must go reinforce Master Luminara. She got ambushed by a Separatist platoon on her way to deal with the remaining Umbaran resistance. That is going to leave Naboo vulnerable. With the issues going on with the new Scipian senator and the tension between Naboo and Kamino, we can not leave anything to chance." He said. Obi-Wan stroked his beard as he thought about his next move.

"Perhaps we could send a small convoy to Nar Shaddaa and send most of your fleet to Naboo?" Cordelia offered. "We don't want to attract attention anyway, and a Republic Armada is pretty noticeable." She said. "It could work. Cody?" The Commander thought for a second. "If something should happen, it would be easier to slip off the planet with only a few of us. But that also means if something should happen, as in ambush, we could be vulnerable without a fleet nearby." He said. "It's a risk we are going to have to take. We'll rendezvous on your position Master Plo." "I will wait for your arrival." The communication ended.

"Dooku's smart. He'll have a plan b in case things go south." Cordelia said. "Yes he will. And with that many people and ships around, there will be plenty of them." He said. "Which reminds me, how do we know we aren't walking straight into a trap?" Obi-Wan continued. "We don't. We just plan like we are and hope for the best." She said. "That's reassuring."


	3. The Plan

The LAAT made a soft thud as it landed on the ground. Everyone began to step into the hanger of the Negotiator, Obi-Wan Kenobi's flagship. There were a number of clones meandering around the ships, prepping for their next battle.

"I don't think Biron's associate would knowingly feed us bad info. I know the contact very well." she said. Her voice was heavy. "I think there is no hope for Biron after this. He's likely fallen for good." Cordelia said. Kenobi stopped her in the middle of the hanger. "There is always hope Cordelia. Anyone can turn back to the light." he said. Cordelia looked over at two Clones carrying a container of ammunition. "Only those who want to Obi-Wan. Biron fell once before. It took me a long time to talk him back to the center, but this time... Well you can't save someone who doesn't want to be saved." she said. She wouldn't look him in the eye. "There's nothing you can do?" he said. Cordelia sighed. "No. There is only one person who could talk him out of it, and that is the same person who pushed him to leave in the first place." They started walking up to the bridge again. They walked in an awkward silence until they reached the bridge. Cody was already barking commands.

"We are waiting your orders sir." the Commander said as the General entered. "Set a course for Naboo. I must talk to Jabba." he said. "You heard the general. Head for Naboo." Everyone began moving all at once. A Clone to their right began tapping on a panel. A button blinked for a second before Jabba in all his slimy, Hutt glory appeared holographically in front of the two Force-users."Greetings esteemed Jabba." Kenobi said with a small bow. Cordelia did as well. Jabba replied back in Huttese.

"The great and noble Jabba wishes to know why General Obi-Wan Kenobi of the Galactic Republic has contacted him." the robotic voice of the translator droid said. "We humbly ask your permission to send a small ship to the planet of Nar Shaddaa. This is my associate, Ashla Adept Cordelia of the Gray Jedi Order." Cordelia took a step forward and dipped her head respectfully. "A member of her order has defected and is hiding out on Nar Shaddaa. It is a our hope that the mighty Jabba will allow us to move into Hutt controlled space apprehend this criminal." Jabba was silent for a second. He spat some Huttese back in reply.

"The all powerful Jabba wishes to know what the Republic will give him in return." the droid said. "We will compensate him most handsomely for his act of generosity." Jabba began to speak again, starting off calm and getting angrier as he spoke. That wasn't a good sign."The noble Jabba has one more request. There is a bounty hunter named Greedo who owes Jabba a great sum of money, but has eluded him thus far. He has been hiding out in the refugee sector. He asks that you bring the bounty hunter to him. Do this, and he will allow you safe passage. If you do not, the Lord Jabba will never allow you in Hutt controlled space again." "Tell the great Jabba that he has a deal." the droid whispered to the Hutt and he laughed a strange, deep sound.

"This pleases the Lord Jabba. We will be awaiting your arrival." the droid said. The hologram dissolved.

"That was nicely put. I guess we're on mercenary duty." Cordelia said as the ship's hyperdrive hummed to life. The ship picked up speed. A tunnel of light formed as all the stars blurred into one bright mass. "We should be glad Jabba said yes at all." "Oh, I wasn't complaining! I could actually use a few heads to knock. I need to blow off some steam." Cordelia said. Obi-Wan tensed, but kept his face neutral.

"Is it a long trip to Naboo?" she asked. "It'll take a little while." he replied, looking down at a panel. "Would you spar with me?" Cordelia asked. "Spar?" "Yea. It's a Gray Jedi thing. It's what we do when we meet another warrior. It's like a sign of respect, that you see them as an equal." she said. "And if we get into any problems, I would like to see your fighting style first hand." Kenobi was quite curious as to how this woman would fight. "Alright then. I am looking forward to seeing your technique." There was a room for sparring next to his quarters. It had been a while since Kenobi had done some sparring. Nowadays, it is mostly life or death."Do you know a Jedi named Qui-Gon Jinn?" Cordelia asked as they left the bridge, trying to make conversation. Despite his death being over ten years ago already, the name of his former master still sent a small stab of grief in his heart.

"Yes. Very well in fact. He was my master. Why do you ask?" Kenobi said. Cordelia crossed her arms against her chest. "I haven't seen him since I was a child. He was the first Jedi I had ever met." she said. "How did you meet him?" Kenobi asked. "He had come to visit the Elders about ten, fifteen years ago. He had been having strange dreams, but when he approached the Council, they did not think anything of them. Qui-Gon disagreed and Master Yoda suggested he seek us out. He stayed with us for a short while as the Elders tried to get to the bottom of this disturbance." she said as the door slid into the wall.

"What was the dream?" Kenobi asked. His master had never said anything about this to him before. Something was off... Cordelia closed her eyes and put a hand to her forehead.

"It's been so long and I was so young... From what I remember, there was lightning... a green lightsaber... and some strange, heavy breathing." she opened her eyes. "We theorize this has something to do with the rebalancing of the Force. It has never been this out of whack for this long before." Cordelia said. "What happened next?" "Master Qui-Gon left. He had found something in the Library of the Ancients. I'm not sure what. All I know is that he left immediately for the birthplace of all life. And no, I do not know what that means." she said.

"My master never told me any of this." Kenobi said. Cordelia took each of her sabers in her hands. "He and the Elders decided it would be best to keep the dreams a secret. They believed it to be apart of a prophecy, and should he reveal it too early, it could have repercussions." she said. Obi-Wan unhooked his weapon as well. "You could ask him about it when we return." she suggested. "I can not, actually. His death came many years ago by a Sith Lord named Maul." Kenobi said sadly. He felt Cordelia's aura change. "Oh. I am truly sorry. He was a great warrior and a kind soul. The Jedi Order had lost a valuable member that day."

"Shall we?" Kenobi asked as he ignited his cyan colored saber, eager to put the memory of Qui-Gon Jinn aside. Cordelia held her lightsabers in a reverse grip. Interesting. As her blades lit to life, he saw that the left was an unusual, but vibrant, silver color. Not white, not gray, but silver. The other was a brilliant orange, like a Tatooinian sunsset. She stepped back in a fighting stance. Her right arm was across her body, with the orange blade pointing at Kenobi. The hand holding the silver blade was directly underneath, causing the blade to point out at an sideways angle. A unique fighting stance to say the least. Obi-Wan balanced himself and lifted his saber above his head. He reached out with his right hand, his index and middle fingers raised.

Cordelia took a step, but didn't make a move. He could see her eyes assessing him over her arm, looking for any weaknesses. She struck out with her right saber at his side. Kenobi blocked it and immediately parried with a slash at the spot where her neck met her shoulder. Her left saber met his. Her right went low and aimed for his knees. Obi-Wan spun backwards to dodge and cut his saber right then left. The Gray countered easily. She slashed out towards his face and Kenobi blocked it. Cordelia pressed herself against Kenobi's side and rolled towards his back. She twisted her body and slashed at his throat in one smooth motion. Kenobi took his foot and yanked her leg out from under her. The Gray fell sideways, but put a hand down to flip herself right side up. She landed gracefully across the room.

Kenobi lunged at her and his saber met both of hers. She was now holding them front ways. She used her foot to push him away. Kenobi made another slash at her. Cordelia countered easily and reached out to strike back. As she did so, she exposed her arm ever so slightly. It was enough for Obi-Wan to make his move. He took his hand off his saber and grabbed her wrist. He twisted it and she dropped the orange saber. He pulled the Gray Jedi into his body and held his saber at her throat. He gripped her left wrist and extended it far out.

"You are quite skilled." Kenobi said. "Thank you Master Jedi. As are you." she said. He could feel her rib cage expanding against his and her breaths against his gloved hand. "Do you give up?" he asked. "Not quite yet." Her orange lightsaber ignited on the floor a flew at Kenobi. He released Cordelia as the saber clashed with his. She did a roll on the ground and perched herself far away from Kenobi. Her blade looked like it was being wielded by an invisible swordsman. Cordelia sat back and focused as the saber fought for her.

"Well this is certainly an interesting trick." Kenobi said, blocking each strike. Cordelia had genuinely surprised him. Windu wasn't kidding when he said that the Gray were unpredictable. Kenobi didn't even know this type of combat was even possible. "I'm glad you think so. It's an ancient, little known technique called the Trayus Form. Very difficult to master, but very useful." Cordelia said, holding her second weapon. She reached out her hand. The orange saber stabilized and flew to her hand. "I haven't mastered dual saber combat with the Trayus form quite yet." she said as she ignited the silver one and made a lunging slash at Kenobi. He blocked it, but it did unbalance him. Cordelia reached out and pulled his feet out from under him using the Force. She straightened her arm and pointed her lightsaber at him. He knocked it away and they moved to opposite ends of the mat.

"You have very good technique. Very tight." Cordelia said. "You have a spark when you duel. It is contagious." The General said. The Gray smiled. "I've been told that before. That's why they call me Fire Fang." Kenobi felt the cabin's pressure change as the capital ship dropped out of hyperspace. "Shall we call it a draw?" Cordelia asked. "I think it best." he said. The sound of someone clearing their throat drew their attention to the door.

"Hello General. I would like to discuss our plan for when we reach Nar Shaddaa." Commander Cody said, flanked by two other clones. "Master Kenobi?" the Gray Jedi said. Kenobi turned to her. "Do you know where I can get something to eat? I'm a little famished." she asked. "Fear and Dallas will accompany you to the mess hall." he replied, motioning to the two Clones flanking Cody. "Thank you." The two clones left Cody's side and shepherded the Gray Adept towards the Mess Hall, making conversation once they were out of earshot.

"I've never seen any Jedi fight the way she does." Cody said. Obi-Wan watched Cordelia round the corner. "I can say the same Cody. In fact, I've never seen anyone fight the way she does. I want a clone escort with her at all times." Kenobi said as they walked onto the bridge. "I agree sir." "Is your squadron ready to head to Nar Shaddaa?" he asked as Master Plo Koon's ship began angling itself for the jump to lightspeed. "Almost sir. We should be able to depart shortly." The capital ship's engines brightened for a second right before disappearing into nothing. A few other smaller ships followed a heartbeat later.

"I've been thinking up a plan for when we reach the surface." the 212th Legion Commander said. "I'll be glad to hear it. I've been a little distracted." Kenobi admitted. "Well, according to the intel Cordelia gave us," his explanation started as a miniature version of Nar Shaddaa appeared over the table. "Sykes should be meeting with Dooku in this quadrant." he said, the area turning red as he pointed at it. "Here is the refugee sector." A small area in the red lit up yellow. "Same quadrant. That's convenient." Kenobi said. "It's the most populated, so it makes sense. I'm thinking that I send a second convoy of clones to find Greedo. That'll leave us, Cordelia, and the rest of the men to go after Sykes. They are meeting in a cantina on the west end of the quadrant. There is a secret back room, so you and Cordelia will have to intercept and draw them out before he meets Dooku. We'll be outside waiting. I am going to have snipers positioned as well." "Solid plan. We could also use this opportunity to capture Dooku, although that is not our main focus. This could very well work. Thank you Cody. I'm glad I have someone I can trust to think for me." Kenobi said. "That's my job sir." he replied as the ship stationed itself where Master Plo's had vacated.

"As good as a plan this is, it still won't be easy. Dooku will be expecting something like this." "Hopefully that Gray Jedi is as good as she seems." his commander said. "Speaking of which, we should go retrieve Cordelia." Obi-Wan sighed as they left the bridge. "Everytime it seems that the war might go our way, something goes wrong. Dooku is always one step ahead of us. I still remember the beating his last apprentice, Savage Opress, gave me." Cody took off his helmet. He shared the same face of his brothers. It was the face of Jango Fett, the only difference being the scar that ran down the side of his eye and cheek. "That's why I like to focus on the battle in front of me. If you start thinking too far ahead, you get lost. It feels endless. Focusing on battles, on how each one is a step closer to victory instead of the war as a whole, makes it a lot easier to not lose hope." Cody said. "That was very well put commander. Thank you." Kenobi said as they entered the mess.


	4. The Abominations

Kenobi scanned the hall of troopers. He found Cordelia and the two clones that escorted her in the far corner of the mess. Even so, the Grey constantly drew looks from every trooper at least once. So he wasn't the only one captivated by her. She seemed to have that effect on almost everyone around her.

"Why hello there General Kenobi." she said as they approached, motioning to him with the fork in her hand. There was an empty tray in front of her. She smiled at him, her face and hair uncovered. Kenobi was not disappointed with what he saw.

Her hair was a silvery-gold color and pulled up in an ornate bun on the back of her head. She had high cheekbones and a soft jaw. In the mess hall lighting, shadows had formed on her cheeks. Her nose was long and straight, with a beautiful smile that sat beneath. Her features were exquisite. It took him a split second to remember that he should speak.

"Hello Cordelia. We shall be departing soon for Nar Shaddaa." he said awkwardly. He hated when he sounded like that. Cordelia stood up and grabbed her tray.

"Thanks for talking with me." she said to the clones as she went to return her tray. "Dismissed." Cody said to Fear and Dallas. They saluted before moving off. Kenobi heard one mention about the Grey being "quite the looker" before getting lost in the crowd. Cordelia once again had that undercurrent of nervous energy. As she pulled the cloth over her mouth, he could see it in her eyes too.

"You seem to be ill at ease." Kenobi said as they left the mess for the hanger. She pulled the hood over her hair. Cordelia rested her left hand on her opposite elbow. "I am. It's just... normally when I go out on a mission, it's just me. But this time, I have you and the clones to worry about. If anything should go wrong, if any of you get hurt or die, it's on me. I'm not trained as a general. I'm not a leader. The Elders taught me to fight alone or maybe with one other person. I'm not trained for war." she said, not meeting his eyes. Kenobi thought for a second. "I understand how you feel. I fought at the first battle of Geonosis. It had been the first battle in thousands of years. I watched as my fellow Jedi died all around me. Frankly, I wasn't sure what to do. Next thing I knew, there were hundreds of battle droids all surrounding us. I had studied and trained, but in the end, I just followed my instincts. Had the clones not came, we would have all died. When it comes to war, no amount of sparring, learning, or training can prepare you. Only experience." Obi-Wan said. "And luckily for you Cordelia, we all have plenty of that." Cody added. "And this isn't your mission alone. We all work together. We'll help you." "Thank you." Cordelia said as they entered the hanger.

The transport was ready before they had even arrived. The second they were on board, the ship made its way out of the hanger and into space.

"Let's get going then." Kenobi said as the pilot forced the ship into hyperspace. Cordelia's aura suddenly dropped. Kenobi looked to her. She went pale and Kenobi lunged to grab her as she collapsed.

"Cordelia!" He said as he lowered the Grey to the ground. Her eyes opened in response. She sat up of her own accord and shook her head.

"What happened?" he said. She turned and leaned against the wall. She winced like she was in pain. "I think we're too late." she said. "What do you mean?" Cody asked. "The Dark Side of the Force just had a sharp fluctuation. Dooku knows. I mean, I've gotten dizzy from it before, but never passed out." She looked towards him, but it seemed like she was looking through him rather than at him.

"I don't understand." Kenobi asked, still holding her. He felt like all he did was ask questions when she was around. He looked at her eyes. They were glassy. She looked out of it.

"The Force is so chaotic right now. Much worse than either the Sith or Jedi realize. The Sith only focus on the dark, where the Jedi only focus on the light. We feel both sides. The fluctuations, the pooling of the Force, it's pain. It's trying to heal itself now that Plagueis is dead, but the war keeps the wound open." Cordelia said. "Wait, wait, wait. Plague, fluctuations, pooling, what are you talking about?" Kenobi was completely lost. He had studied the Jedi way and the Force his whole life, but he had never heard of what she was talking about.

"You Jedi have fallen far in your teachings, haven't you?" Cordelia said slowly. She began to make her way to her feet. Kenobi took her elbow with his right hand and wrapped his left around her waist to help her up. She lowered her voice so only Kenobi could hear.

"I'm talking about the Abominations of the Force. We hold them. They are very ancient texts that date back to the beginning of the Jedi Order." The more he talked to this woman, the more he realized how dangerous she truly was. Not in power or strength, but in knowledge. "I have never heard of these Abominations." He said. Cordelia grabbed the handle on the ceiling. Her color hadn't returned yet. "Thousands of years ago, our Elders forbade everyone from reading them. They originally discovered the texts on the planet Rakata Prime by the Ancient Sith Empire. There the Rakatan people kept them. Darths Revan and Malak took them and read them. Then the texts became lost for a few years and resurfaced after Revan's return to the light. He gave the Abominations to his friend, and one of our founders, Jolee Bindo, who locked them away. Until Plagueis came, about seventy years ago." she said. "Who is that?" Kenobi asked. "An old Sith Lord. He came to us seeking knowledge, but he betrayed our ancestors trust. He read the Abominations and there have been ripples in the Force ever since." "What does this have to do with anything?" Kenobi asked. Cordelia fixed him with a stare that immediately unnerved him.

"How is it that there are hundreds of Jedi and only two Sith, yet the Dark side clouds everything?" Cordelia questioned. She seemed to be returning to her normal color. "It's like putting a Bantha and a Kowakian Monkey Lizard on a scale and the lizard weighing more. It doesn't make sense. Throughout history, there have always been periods where light and dark were dominant. Then the other would take over so on and so forth. This should be light dominated period, yet it's not." "That's what the Council has been trying to figure out since the reemergence of the Sith a little over ten years ago." Kenobi said. "They should have swallowed their pride and asked us." Cordelia spat. "This all started when Plagueis got his hands on the Abominations. From what we know, he learned the secret of immortality. He used it to keep himself alive." "That's impossible." Kenobi said, stunned. "Nothing is impossible in the Force. The other Abominations that we know of are using the Force to create another life, keeping one from becoming one with the Force, in a half alive, half dead state, and preventing death, as in the healing a mortal wound. There's a reason why we locked these practices away to die." Cordelia said.

"What happens should someone perform one of these Abominations?" Kenobi asked. Cody and the Clones had begun to speak among themselves. He could tell they were curious. He could hardly keep up with what he was hearing. "Well, one of two things. Best case scenario, nothing. But the worst case scenario could be a wound in the Force. Plagueis became so powerful that the Dark Side of the Force began corrupting his body. He learned the secret of immortality to keep his body alive, causing a major wound in the Force. This threw the Force off kilter, which is why the Dark Side has been so strong. After Plagueis's apprentice killed him off, the Force began healing itself. Then the Clone Wars began and the wound reopened." "Do you know anything of Plagueis' apprentice?" Kenobi asked. The apprentice could very well be Dooku's master, the one who had eluded the Jedi thus far. Cordelia's brow drew together.

"Unfortunately, no. Only that Plagueis took him on after reading the Abominations. It concerns the Elders greatly. It is our job to know the doings of both the Jedi and Sith, but this lord has evaded even us. To make things worse, there is evidence that he has performed one of the Abominations, though we aren't sure which." she said. "And how do I know you aren't covering for him?" Kenobi asked. She smiled. He could tell by the raising of her cheek bones. "I would tell you if I knew, I just wouldn't tell you the information." she said as the ship dropped out of hyperspace. She turned away and looked out to the planet of Nar Shaddaa, clearly hinting she didn't wish to speak of it any more. Kenobi took a step back to his original position."Are you also intimidated by her, or is it just me?" Cody asked in his ear as he slipped his gold and white helmet on. "Oh no, I am most definitely intimidated." Kenobi said. "Good to hear." he said as the ship began its descent.

"Alright men. Squad up." The troopers moved to either side of the cabin. "Alpha squad, you find the bounty hunter. Lieutenant Bridge has his orders and will brief you on the surface. Bravo squad, you're with us. We're gonna track us down a deserter." Cody said. Cordelia turned to the men. "If you can, do not engage Sykes. Leave that to me and Master Kenobi. Shoot at him from a distance. Even without a lightsaber, Sykes is very skilled at hand to hand combat. However, he is weak at deflecting blaster fire, especially when distracted." she explained. That nervous energy increased. Kenobi made his way over to her.

"Things will be fine Cordelia. Don't worry." he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. She place her opposite hand on top of his and gave it a squeeze. "I certainly hope so." The transport touched down.

"Cordelia and General Kenobi will enter the Cantina. Once they see the deserter, they will signal us and both squads will head out. We don't want wind of Republic troopers getting to the Sepys too early." Cody said. A clone handed Kenobi two cloaks. He pulled it on and flipped up the hood. He handed Cordelia her's."Good luck sir." Cody said as the bridge of the ship dropped down. He and Cordelia left the clones and the transport and moved into the crowds of the refugee sector.


	5. The Cantina

"This cloak's a little big." she said. It was actually a lot big. It drug along the ground like the train of a dress. "Sorry about that. We couldn't find one that would fit you in time." he said. She huffed as someone stepped on it, causing her to stumble. "At least I don't have to fight in it. This thing would be a death trap." she said, tugging up the back. As soon as the Cantina, called Solari's, entered into view, Kenobi could sense a dark aura.

"I sense Darth Tyranus." Cordelia said. Kenobi stopped immediately. Cordelia stopped and gave him a concerned look.

"What is it?" she asked. "Dooku. You called him Tyranus. Why?" he asked suspiciously. That was new information to the Jedi Order. How would she know this? Cordelia's cheekbones raised as she smiled beneath the cloth. "Haven't you figured it out by now Obi-Wan? We Gray know a lot of things about both sides. It's part of our job. We know about Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, born of the Force to rebalance it, the one theorized to be the Chosen One of Mortis. We know the location of the Darksaber and what happened to Revan during his disappearance. We know a great many things." she said.

"You said the Chosen One of Mortis?" Kenobi asked. He had fuzzy memories of his, Anakin, and Anakin's former padawan, Ahsoka Tano's time trapped on Mortis. The Father, Son, Daughter, their deaths... It was strange. Like a dream, yet a memory, and somehow this woman knew about it. That was something between only them and Master Yoda.

"Of course. We are the keepers of the prophecy. Why do you think Master Qui-Gon insisted on taking the boy into the Order in the first place? Anakin is the Chosen One of a single prophecy out of the dozens that surround the orders. Some that have come true, some that have not, and some are yet to be. But the events that are to happen at Mortis are to be the first of many that will rebalance the Force." Cordelia said. She didn't know that Mortis had already happened. Interesting.

"If you knew Dooku was Tyranus, does that mean you know about Sifo-Dyas?" he asked. "Yes. We know Dooku involved himself in the creation of the Clones and had murdered Sifo-Dyas, but that is it." Kenobi had a flare of anger in his chest, one released and before continuing. "And you kept this from the Council." he stated. "We only reveal information when it is critical to maintaining the balance. We do not cause one side to have an advantage over the other. It is not our way. How would the Jedi feel if we divulged sensitive information of the Republic to the Separatists?" she asked him. He weighed the significance of what she said and accepted it. He started walking again.

"So you don't know anything of Dooku's master?" Kenobi said. The Count was once a Jedi Knight, a trusted friend, before he betrayed the Order. His master, however... They didn't even know a name and if Cordelia is telling the truth, neither did they.

"No. Just that he killed Plagueis the Wise. This lack of information makes us very uneasy." she said. "Tell me about it." he stated. "Obi-Wan?" She said as she stopped short of walking into the Cantina. "Let's keep this between us. The Abominations of the Force, Plagueis, everything." She said. "Why is that?" He said. She looked down at her feet. "Well, we keep the Abominations secret to prevent any temptation to read them. I wasn't supposed to tell you, but I trust you. Plus I wasn't exacting thinking straight at the time. I was still a little woosy." She said. "You know I have to tell Masters Windu and Yoda." he said. "That's alright. I trust them." "My question is, what's stopping Sykes from revealing this information?" Kenobi asked. "He doesn't know it." Up ahead, Solari's Cantina came into view.

"Do you know how our hierarchy works?" Cordelia asked. "A little bit." Kenobi said as they walked through the door. They snuck into a booth in the corner.

The Cantina was what you would expect. Dark, dingy, dirty, the works. Vagabonds and criminal scum were everywhere. The table covered in grime, a few suspicious looking stains on the floor, dirty glasses. Posters covered the walls and aliens and humans from all over the galaxy filled the booths. Weequays, Ithorians, Zabraks, Twi'Leks, you name it. A waiter came and dropped two drinks on their table.

"Uhh, we didn't order these." Cordelia said as the waiter, who was a species Kenobi didn't recognize, walked away. He ignored the Gray. She pushed her's away. "Probably spiked." she said. "So the hierarchy works like this: There are Fledglings, who would be the equivalent to a Youngling. An Abecedarian, a dare for short, which would be a padawan." she said as she looked around the room for Sykes. "An Adept would be a Knight and an Elder would be a Master. But we don't have a council, like you. We have the Palatial Elder. She is the leader. Under her are the six Elders, three of Bogun, three of Ashla." she said. "Dark and light. Those are very ancient terms." Kenobi said. "Indeed. Then, under the three, there is an Ashla Adept and a Bogun Adept who are to trained to take over the Elders place. Under them is the rest of the Elders and Adepts." She said. "And you're the Ashla Adept." Kenobi said. "Yes. They chose me a while ago. That's why I know so much. I am to be an Elder of Ashla, once Elder Q'Cek steps down. Biron's just a normal Adept." "I followed that." Cordelia nudged her chin ever so gently.

"Someone is over there. I bet they're waiting for Biron to take him to that secret meeting room. I can't tell who it is. though I'm having trouble sensing Dooku now unfortunately." she said. She gave an annoyed grunt as two Weequay pirates moved in front of the unknown contact.

"'allo, what do we 'ave 'ere?" The left pirate said. "Oh no." Kenobi said, dropping his forehead into his hand. "Hondo's crew?" he asked, lifting his head. "'ondo's crew." Cordelia sighed. "Don't know, and don't have the time." she said. She lifted her hand. "You will go bother someone else." she said as she moved her hand slightly to the side, mind tricking the pirate. "We will go bother someone else." he said repeatedly, voice dreamlike and slurred. "You will not bother us again." she said with a small, circular motion of her fingers. "We won't bother you again." he said. "Move along." They moved on to a table across the way with two pretty Twi'leks. The contact was still alone. Cordelia slid an elbow over the back of the booth.

"What was that about?" she asked. "Long story. We have a strange alliance with a pirate named Hondo Ohnaka." "Strange alliance?" she asked, scanning the crowd. "It's a complicated relationship. One second he is helping us, the next he is firing at us." "Sounds like a great guy." she replied looking over her shoulder. "Oh he is a unique fellow alright." He said. Suddenly, Cordelia slid over and sat extremely close to Kenobi. She put her right hand on the back of his neck and sat on his left leg.

"Oh, umm..." He said, confused. He tensed immediately. "Shh. Sykes is right behind me." she whispered, putting a gloved hand on the side of his face. Her eyes told him of her concern. "If he notices us now, the plan will fail." she ran the back of her fingers down his cheek and his jaw. "Is he still there?" she asked, playing with his hair. Kenobi quickly looked past the Gray. "Is he the Devaronian in the cloak?" he asked, playing the part. He put an arm around her waist and his other hand on her hip. "Yes." Sykes was talking to someone right next to their booth. He could clearly see his face. The skin was a reddish color. The hood covered his horns, creating two small points on top. His eyes were a vivid yellow and when he spoke, Kenobi could see his pointed teeth. He had a large, muscular stature underneath his cloak. He made a motion with his hand, flicking his cloak open. Kenobi caught a glimpse of a double-bladed lightsaber before it rested against his body again.

"He is still there." he said, looking her in the eyes. They were so close that with each of his breaths, an escaped lock of hair fluttered against her cheekbone. Obi-Wan reached over and tapped the comm link on his wrist. It blinked white. A second later it blinked green."Cody's on his way." he said. Cordelia put a hand on his chest. "Good." she said. Kenobi had the urge to pull the cloth away and see the face beneath, but didn't. He could see her face in his mind and didn't know if that made it better or worse. Instead, he played along and put a hand up to her jaw. He flicked his eyes over to Sykes and back to Cordelia. He was still talking, but began to walk towards the Separatist contact. He turned around.

"Sykes sat down with the contact." he said. "Good. We just have to wait for Cody then." she said, rubbing his neck. It felt nice. Her body was small and narrow, but well muscled under his hands. He tugged her closer. Her eyes were in shadow, but he could still see the green and grays in them. Her gloved fingers were soft against his cheek. Her eyes were thoughtful as she examined his face. Her cheekbones raised as she smiled.

"You smell nice." she said. Kenobi laughed. "Why thank you." he chuckled. His commlink blinked again.

"Cody is ready." he said. Cordelia turned her head and looked at Sykes. Her aura coldened.

"Let's go get him." 


	6. The Deserter

Cordelia pulled away, leaving cool impressions of where her arm and legs had been. She slid out of the booth and was next to Sykes in three strides. The Gray ignited her orange lightsaber and pointed it at the traitor.

"Hello Biron." she said. He laughed as he moved his vision up from his hands. He looked at the Ashla Adept over her saber.

"Lightsaber!" A patron yelled. The room immediately tensed before everyone exited the cantina at an alarming pace.

"Subtle Cordelia. Very subtle." Kenobi said as he stepped behind her. That was a very Anakin thing to do.

"Cordelia? Interesting. Well, I knew it would be only a matter of time until you found me." he said. He reached out his arm and Cordelia flew across the room. She hit the wall next to the door. Kenobi ignited his lightsaber and flew at Sykes. The Separatist contact slipped under the table and made his way out of the Cantina as the two began to spar. Kenobi made a cut at Biron's left side. The dark-sided Gray parried with one end of his yellow lightsaber. The blades crashed together, creating a flash of green light. Sykes jumped over a booth and made a break for the door as he Force-pushed a table at the Republic General. It hit Kenobi like a wall. He collapsed onto the ground. He looked up and saw that Cordelia was on her hands and knees. She grunted in irritation as Sykes ran past her. She scrambled to her feet and disappeared out the door.

When Kenobi trotted outside, he saw Sykes disarmed with his hands up at blaster point. Surrounded by Cody and the rest of the clones, he sneered at them. For someone that had just gotten captured, he didn't seem overly grumpy.

"So you work for the Jedi now, Fire Fang?" he spat. "Don't call me that." She snapped. "I am working with the Jedi to hunt down your slimy carcass, traitor." she replied vehemently. Cody had Biron's lightsaber in one hand and a blaster in the other. "You are betraying everything we believe in!" she shouted. Both of her lightsabers ignited. Biron gave her a cocky look. "I'm betraying what you believe in. I was born to be a Sith." he said. "So you want nothing but pain and betrayal? The hunger you feel will never satisfy." she stated. "Better than having my abilities wasted in the Gray Order, like you, Sah-" he cut off. He grabbed at his neck. "Finish that sentence, and I crush your throat." Cordelia said dangerously, her hand lifted in a choking motion. He clawed at the invisible force clasped around his trachea. He was touching the ground only by his toes.

"Cordelia." Kenobi said cautiously. The Gray met his eyes. Obi-Wan watched the tension recede from her face. She held Sykes there for a moment longer before releasing him. He landed on his hands and knees, wheezing. "That's right, Cordelia. Why don't you show them what you really are." he managed to spit out painfully. Her grip tightened on her sabers. She turned and threw her saber directly at Commander Cody.

"Cody!" Kenobi shouted. They all stared as the lightsaber hit its mark: the faceplate of a Commando droid that was about to jump him. It was so close that there was a line on Cody's helmet. Kenobi exhaled the breath he didn't even know he was holding. The double bladed saber flew out of the Commander's hands. Kenobi followed it back to Sykes. Cordelia launched herself in the air and spun. Her silver saber hit Biron's yellow one so hard, a slight crack emulated from the blades. Cordelia reached back and the orange saber flew to her hand. Everyone began moving at once. The clones turned as the distinctive clanking of of battle droids echoed behind them. It was a small force, made of the silver B1 Super Battle Droids and some Commando Droids.

"We got the droids, sir, focus on Sykes!" Commander Cody said, clearly recovered from the lightsaber being thrown at his face. Obi-Wan ran towards Sykes and Cordelia.

"Deserter!" Cordelia yelled. Biron leaped and slashed at her. "You don't deserve to be the Ashla Adept." The force threw her to the ground. He jumped over top of her and brought his saber down, aiming for her face. She crossed her sabers and blocked him. She pushed back against him. "You're... jealous?" she said, using her foot to shove him off of her. She was breathing heavily. He flipped and landed easily on his feet. "Not jealous. Just aware." he said as he strightened. Cordelia's aura darkened as his sabers turned from yellow to an orange to a deep red. Kenobi stopped next to her. He had never seen someone corrupt a kyber crystal before. The crystal gets pumped full of dark sided energy until it begins to bleed, giving it that blood red color.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Kenobi said. "Cordelia here isn't fit to be the Ashla Adept." he explained as he attacked the two light-sided Force users. "The only reason she is is because of who she's related to." he said as he slashed at their sabers. He flipped behind them. Cordelia scoffed at his comment. "You only say that because that's what your girlfriend says." she said. Biron threw his saber towards them. It spun, turning into a red whirlwind. Obi-Wan slid underneath the blade while Cordelia flipped above it. "Who's jealous now?" Sykes said. Cordelia laughed. "You wish Biron." she replied as she and Obi-Wan moved on him. He jumped high above them and caught his saber. Cordelia moved to intercept him. Something caught Kenobi's attention from above.

"Cordelia, move!" he said, using the Force to pull her to him. He caught the Ashla Adept easily. Right where she had been standing, a giant mass of metal and flesh dropped down."You're too late. I already had my meeting with Tyranus. He is long gone and you're talking to Count Dooku's newest assassin." Sykes said with a smirk. The mass began to rise, turning into a being.

"General Grievous." Kenobi said, still holding onto Cordelia. "I've got a bad feeling about this." she said as the Confederate General gave a cough. "Hello Kenobi." he greeted, his voice deep and raspy. "Who's your friend?" he asked. "Oh wait. Sykes here already told me." Cordelia looked shocked. Her gray eyes had lost their greenness, now turning a reddish-gray. "You dirty little slina! Do you know what you just did?" She shouted, anger and pain lining her voice. Sykes shrugged. "You know how it goes, Cordelia." Four magnaguards dropped down behind the once great Kaleesh warrior. He raised his arms. There was a metallic crack as limbs split into four separate arms, each wielding a lightsaber. "Such pretty sabers for my collection. I was getting tired of green and blue." The Ashla Adept yelled and took off towards the general.

"Cordelia, wait!" he said. "Uhh, nevermind." he muttered when she didn't slow down. She leapt high in the air and dropped down on the Confederate General. Grievous put his sabers up to block her. Their blades met with a crash and Cordelia flipped over behind Grievous. Kenobi in the meantime kept the General busy. He and Grievous had dueled many times during the course of the war and Kenobi was starting to recognize his fighting style. It was unique. It had traces of Dooku in it, but the rest was something else.

The two of them slashed and parried. His magnaguards stood back, ready for Grievous's commands. Sykes jumped up and joined in on the fight as well. Kenobi leaped over the two of them and landed a good few feet away.

As for Cordelia, she had hung back for a moment, watching. Then she made her move. She began sprinting as hard as she could at the General. When she was close enough, the Gray dropped to the ground. She slid straight between Grievous's mechanical legs, dragging her sabers along as she did. A very risky move. They melted straight through his ankle joints. Without his feet, Grievous fell face first to the ground. He growled at the Gray as he pushed himself up and spider crawled at her. He lunged and his mechanical hand gripped onto her chest. He laughed as he started pushing down, crushing her body. Kenobi Force-pushed the General away as Commando Droid cut at him with its vibroblade.

Vibroblades were interesting. They were commonly used during the time of the Old Republic. They were effective against the old, crossguard style sabers. When the saber designed changed after the Jedi Civil War, they no longer affected the more powerful blade.

Kenobi looked back to Cordelia. She was still on the ground catching her breath. She rolled onto her side, face twisted up in pain. Grievous took advantage of her pain. He attacked her with two sabers, using his other arms to keep himself upright. Kenobi ran over to help her, but Sykes stopped him halfway.

"I always wanted to duel against a Jedi. Count Dooku says if I kill you, we'll overthrow his master and make me his apprentice." He said. "Do not overestimate your abilities, Biron. You still have much to learn." Kenobi said. He raised his lightsaber over his head. He stretched out his hand, lifting his index and middle fingers. "You underestimate me, Kenobi." he stated, rushing the Jedi Master. He and Kenobi parried and slashed at each other. Kenobi went low. Sykes blocked and then stabbed out with the bottom end of his saber. Obi-Wan parried. Sykes had talent, but his technique was sloppy, like an over confident padawan. He relied more on strength rather than skill. If Dooku could refine him, with the Count's saber prowess and Sykes's natural ability, the fallen Gray would be a deadly force. Obi-Wan looked over at Cordelia again. She had taken out one of the magnaguards and was working on the second. Grievous was out of sight.

Kenobi focused back in on his own battle. Sykes used the Force to throw a blaster beaten Super Battle Droid at the general. He sliced it in half, the edges of the cut turning an orangey-yellow. He was vaguely aware of the clones fighting off the droids behind him. He was very grateful he had reliable troops that he didn't have to worry about.

Obi-Wan relied on his instincts. Parry, slash, block, dodge, like he had done so many times before. He and Sykes clashed. Their sabers locked together.

"You're sloppy." Kenobi said as he ducked under Sykes and slashed up. "You're arrogant, Jedi scum." Sykes hissed back. Kenobi cut into the Devaronian's shoulder blade. He hissed before attacking the general again. Kenobi had dodged and moved behind him when he heard an exasperated groan from behind. Kenobi looked over his shoulder.

"Nice try General." Cody said. Grievous huffed and turned his attention on the Ghost Company Commander. Kenobi saw a blackened blast mark on the back of his shoulder. Grievous was still using his one pair of arms to keep himself upright.

Kenobi jumped into the air and over the Confederate General. He brought his lightsaber down in a clean, straight strike. It ricocheted off Grievous's. The cyborg gave a deep, raspy laugh."Nice of you to drop in, Kenobi." He said. Grievous raised his arm to stab a nearby Clone when a flash of orange caught Kenobi's eye. Grievous's severed arm fell onto the ground with a clank."Not on my watch." Cordelia growled. Grievous snarled at the Gray Adept and crouched. He sprang up high over their heads and landed far away from them. He flipped into a lopsided spider-crawl and booked around the corner. Sykes was already gone."Come on!" Kenobi said. The Clones took out the final commando as they made their way after Grievous.

Cordelia, Obi-Wan, and Cody all interweaved through the pedestrians. Most understood that something was happening and moved into the businesses to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. Those who didn't saw the lightsabers and knew to get away.


	7. The Gray

Grievious and Sykes were running towards two Separatist ships docked at the end of the street. It was easy to keep track of them. Kenobi just followed the lightsabers. He reached out and yanked them both back through the Force. Grievous landed upright, sending sparks flying from his feet as he came to a stop. Sykes landed on his back. Cordelia flung her saber as the deserter sat forward. It went straight through his chest.

"Cordelia!" Kenobi said, aghast. "What?" She replied innocently, looking at him with her beautiful, wide eyes. "Blast that bastard." she said, looking down at Sykes. Kenobi looked back at the body. It flickered. The image went in and out before revealing a commando droid holding a staff.

"If this is a droid, then where is the real Sykes?" Cody asked. Cordelia kicked the deactivated robot off her saber. One of the Separatist ships hummed to life and immediately shot off, throwing the clones and force users on their backs.

"There goes General Grievous. Never says a proper goodbye, does he?" Kenobi said as he got to his knees. "I can still sense Biron." Cordelia said. "The ship." one of the Clones said. The second one's engine had turned on. It didn't sound right.

"Everyone, wait!" Kenobi said. The ship's humming got louder and louder before it exploded. A deafening bang echoed off the steel of Nar Shaddaa. Kenobi went from seeing a puff of smoke and flame to the stars up ahead.

"Are you alright general?" Jack said as he offered Kenobi his hand. "I'm fine, thank you. Just an average day." He said. He saw Cody leaning over the railing of the port. Four clones hovered up onto the platform from below. His commander straightened and revealed the Gray Jedi consult hanging over the edge. She grabbed his shoulder and pulled herself up onto the platform."Are you alright?" Kenobi asked. "No." she stated, still clinging onto Cody for dear life. "I don't like heights." Kenobi peered over the edge. No ground was visible. That was a lot of height."Biron!" Cordelia said, pointing at the betrayer. Kenobi grabbed his saber hilt, the cyan blade bursting to life. He charged at the Devaronian and slashed at the deserter.

"Give up!" he said, hoping to end this easily. "I won't! Count Dooku will never accept surrender." Sykes shouted. "Don't you understand? Dooku and the Separatists have abandoned you!" Kenobi yelled back. Sykes slashed at him, clearly enraged. Whether he was angry at Kenobi for suggesting such a thing or because he he realized that Obi-Wan was right, he didn't know.Sykes cut at him. Kenobi blocked it. Taking the opening, the Devaronian punched him hard in the face. Obi-Wan staggered back. He was then pressed to the ground by the Force. Sykes wasn't a fool. He wasn't going to let Kenobi's temporary confusion go to waste. He raised his saber like a spear and brought it down towards the Jedi Master's chest. Kenobi blinked as his vision darkened.

"Your issue is with me, leave Obi-Wan out of this." Cordelia said through gritted teeth. She was standing over him. Her orange saber was angled down, forcing Sykes's blade away from Kenobi. It had impaled the street inches away from his body. She slashed at him with her silver saber. Sykes deflected it, leaving his chest exposed. Kenobi slid away from Cordelia and pushed himself up. He kicked Biron Sykes hard in the throat. The fallen Gray collapsed and didn't get back up. He was on his hands and knees, coughing violently. Two Clones ran over and shoved Sykes face first onto the floor. Obi-Wan relaxed for the first time since they had landed on the planet. He turned to Cordelia. Her eyes were back to their usual green-gray, but they were distant.

"You seem troubled." Kenobi said to Cordelia as the two clones cuffed the still coughing Sykes. "Very." she said as she used the Force to bring Sykes's long saber hilt to her hand. She examined it a moment. "One, Biron told Grievous my name, who will tell Dooku. Two..." She trailed off. "We were set up. Our informant... the one who tipped us off? She was Sykes's girlfriend, who also happens to be my younger sister." She said softly. "Your sister tried to have you killed?" Kenobi asked, surprised. Her aura was strange. Not happy or relieved, but also not upset or angry. "Yea. We had always had our issues, her and I, and I knew she had negative feelings towards me, but I never thought she actually hated me. Especially to the point of trying to have me killed." Cordelia said. He could sense her sadness.

"What will you do now?" he asked her as they headed back towards the ship. "First I will return Biron to the Elders. He will face trial for his crimes." she said. Ahead of them stood the other group of Clones, holding a bound and very angry Rodian bounty hunter. Cody moved past the Jedi and Gray to the lieutenant. "And then... we will see." "You are a good warrior. Sure you can't hang around?" Kenobi asked. "I might just take you up on that offer. Droids are pretty fun to knock around. And don't even get me started on the lightsaber duels." Cordelia replied. He could tell she was smirking. "But for now, we wait for retaliation from the dear old Count. I'm certain he and Bogun Elder Mayh will have some things to sort out. May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan Kenobi. We will meet again, that I am sure of." she said with a smile. "I look forward to it." he said. She got on the transport with Sykes, while Kenobi got on the one with Greedo. He watched as the door of her shuttle slid shut and took off. He really did hope that he would meet that Gray Jedi again one day.


End file.
